Time to act on reform

Once again, China has defied the naysayers. Economic growth picked up in the final quarter of 2012 to 7.9 percent - half a percentage point faster than the 7.4 percent increase in GDP in the third quarter. This was a meaningful increase after 10 consecutive quarters of deceleration, and it marks the Chinese economy's second soft landing in slightly less than four years.

Cartoon

Obama should defend pro-choice

The United States is a jarring contrast between liberals and conservatives.

Scandals over hukou

The criminal detention of four police officers and three others involved in the recent case of a woman counterfeiting multiple identities to buy luxury real estate should not be the end of the authorities' handling of the scandal. Instead, it should be the start of a thorough probe into possible similar malpractices across the country and loopholes in its household registration system.

Stricter air quality control

Zhong Nanshan, a medical scientist and academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that air pollution is even more hazardous than severe acute respiratory syndrome since no one can escape it. That the incidence of lung cancer has risen by 55 percent in Beijing in the past decade vindicates what Zhong said.

Flaws of private education institutions

Winter vacation has started, but perhaps it has become another school season for many children in China, especially in cities.

Getting workers their wages on time

A new but sad story is unfolding across China. With Spring Festival approaching, migrant workers have taken to the performing arts - not for recreation but for getting their dues. In Wuhan, Hubei province, several migrant workers performed Gangnam Style dance to demand their salaries. In Xi'an, Shaanxi province, they dressed up as ancient officials to seek their collective dues of about 4 million yuan ($642,764).

Hot words

Clean Your Plate Campaign 光盘行动 (guang pan xing dong)

From the Chinese press

Curb use of official cars

On the horns of a dilemma

In 2012, Sino-Japanese relations hit their lowest point since diplomatic relations were resumed in 1972. This was due to former Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara's provocative proposal to "purchase" the Diaoyu Islands, then Yoshihiko Noda government's "nationalization" of three of the islands, and then hard-line stance and upgraded military buildup by Shinzo Abe's Cabinet.

Cartoon

'Turnkey' toys of no real value

During the holidays, I am under pressure from my son to buy him something called a Skylanders Giants Starter Set. I had never heard of such a thing, so I checked online and found that it is an expensive kit that comes with a game and a couple of creatures. It is a "starter kit", which means kids will have to collect additional Skylander figures, each of which costs around $15. Once collected, such figures cannot be taken apart, re-designed or reassembled. Children just collect more and more of them until the trend is replaced by the next big thing. As Spring Festival approaches, I am afraid many other parents face a similar situation.